Luke 24
The Voice
24 Early on Sunday morning, even before the sun had fully risen, these women made their way back to the tomb with the spices and ointments they had prepared. 2 When they arrived, they found the stone was rolled away from the tomb entrance, 3 and when they looked inside, the body of the Lord Jesus was nowhere to be seen. 4 They didn’t know what to think. As they stood there in confusion, two men suddenly appeared standing beside them. These men seemed to glow with light. 5 The women were so terrified that they fell to the ground facedown.
This phrase, “Son of Man,” is very important in Luke’s story and may have many layers of meaning. It may mean “epitome of humanity” or “prime example of what a human can be.” But it also evokes a specific passage of Scripture that is very important to Jewish people, Daniel 7:13-27. There the phrase “Son of Man” refers to a king who receives an eternal and universal kingdom, and it also represents “the saints of the Most High”—the people of God. In light of Jesus’ central message about the kingdom of God, it is likely that the phrase suggests Jesus is the long-awaited Anointed One who launches a new era in human history and who creates a community of people who represent the eternal and universal kingdom of God. In this way, “Son of” suggests “new generation of,” and “Man” suggests “humanity.” Jesus is Himself the new generation of humanity (a second Adam, a new beginning), and the community He creates shares this identity (a new creation, a new humanity in Jesus). The two messengers here use this pregnant phrase in a way that shocks everyone: The way this long-awaited Anointed One receives His kingdom is not through conventional military victory where enemies are defeated and killed. No, this King receives His kingdom by suffering, dying, and rising again Himself. Amazing news—good news!
Two Men: Why are you seeking the living One in the place of the dead? 6 He is not here. He has risen from the dead. Don’t you remember what He told you way back in Galilee? 7 He told you that the Son of Man must be handed over to wicked men, He must be crucified, and then on the third day He must rise.
8 The women did remember Jesus’ words about this, 9 so they returned from the tomb and found the eleven and recounted for them—and others with them—everything they had experienced. 10-11 The Lord’s emissaries[a] heard their stories as fiction, a lie; they didn’t believe a word of it. (By the way, this group of women included Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, along with a number of others.) 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he reached the opening, he bent down, looked inside, and saw the linen burial cloths lying there. But the body was gone. He walked away, full of wonder about what had happened.
13 Picture this:
That same day, two other disciples (not of the eleven) are traveling the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. 14 As they walk along, they talk back and forth about all that has transpired during recent days. 15 While they’re talking, discussing, and conversing, Jesus catches up to them and begins walking with them, 16 but for some reason they don’t recognize Him.
Jesus: 17 You two seem deeply engrossed in conversation. What are you talking about as you walk along this road?
They stop walking and just stand there, looking sad. 18 One of them—Cleopas is his name—speaks up.
Cleopas: You must be the only visitor in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about what’s been going on over the last few days.
Jesus: 19 What are you talking about?
Two Disciples: It’s all about the man named Jesus of Nazareth. He was a mighty prophet who did amazing miracles and preached powerful messages in the sight of God and everyone around. 20 Our chief priests and authorities handed Him over to be executed—crucified, in fact.
21 We had been hoping that He was the One—you know, the One who would liberate all Israel and bring God’s promises. Anyway, on top of all this, just this morning—the third day after the execution— 22 some women in our group really shocked us. They went to the tomb early this morning, 23 but they didn’t see His body anywhere. Then they came back and told us they did see something—a vision of heavenly messengers—and these messengers said that Jesus was alive. 24 Some people in our group went to the tomb to check it out, and just as the women had said, it was empty. But they didn’t see Jesus.
Jesus: 25 Come on, men! Why are you being so foolish? Why are your hearts so sluggish when it comes to believing what the prophets have been saying all along? 26 Didn’t it have to be this way? Didn’t the Anointed One have to experience these sufferings in order to come into His glory?
Luke has told his story. It ends with joy and praise. The crucified Jesus has been resurrected and has ascended to heaven to take His place at God’s right hand just as the ancient prophets predicted. For the band of disciples, Easter joy has eclipsed Good Friday sorrow.
This ending point becomes the starting point for Luke’s sequel, known as the Acts of the Apostles. The story isn’t really over; it’s just begun. The life and ministry of Jesus that Luke has just recounted is the mustard-seed stage of the kingdom of God that continues to grow and grow and grow. Now it’s time for this Kingdom to fill the world. If Luke’s Gospel is about what Jesus began to do and teach, then Luke’s sequel is about what the risen Jesus continues to do and teach through His followers for millennia. Luke writes in hope that future believers will be taken up into this beautiful story that will never, ever end.
27 Then He begins with Moses and continues, prophet by prophet, explaining the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures, showing how they were talking about the very things that had happened to Jesus.
28 About this time, they are nearing their destination. Jesus keeps walking ahead as if He has no plans to stop there, 29 but they convince Him to join them.
Two Disciples: Please, be our guest. It’s getting late, and soon it will be too dark to walk.
So He accompanies them to their home. 30 When they sit down at the table for dinner, He takes the bread in His hands, He gives thanks for it, and then He breaks it and hands it to them. 31 At that instant, two things happen simultaneously: their eyes are suddenly opened so they recognize Him, and He instantly vanishes—just disappears before their eyes.
Two Disciples (to each other): 32 Amazing! Weren’t our hearts on fire within us while He was talking to us on the road? Didn’t you feel it all coming clear as He explained the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures?
33 So they get up immediately and rush back to Jerusalem—all seven miles—where they find the eleven gathered together—the eleven plus a number of others. 34 Before Cleopas and his companion can tell their story, the others have their own story to tell.
Other Disciples: The Lord has risen indeed! It’s true! He appeared to Simon!
35 Then the two men report their own experience—their conversation along the road, their moment of realization and recognition as He broke the bread. 36 At that very instant, as they’re still telling the story, Jesus is there, standing among them!
Jesus: May you have peace!
You might expect them to be overjoyed, but they aren’t.
37 They’re startled and terrified; they think they’re seeing a ghost.
Jesus: 38 Why are you upset? Why are your hearts churning with questions? 39 Look—look at My hands and My feet! See that it’s Me! Come on; touch Me; see for yourselves. A ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you can see that I have!
[40 Then He shows them His hands and His feet.][b]
41 Now their fear gives way to joy; but it seems too good to be true, and they’re still unsure.
Jesus: Do you have anything here to eat?
42 They hand Him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and He takes it and eats it in front of them.
Jesus: 44 I’ve been telling you this all along, that everything written about Me in the Hebrew Scriptures must be fulfilled—everything from the law of Moses to the prophets to the psalms.
45 Then He opens their minds so they can comprehend the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus: 46 This is what the Scriptures said: that the promised Anointed One should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 that in His name a radical change of thought and life should be preached, and that in His name the forgiveness of sins should be preached, beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all nations. 48 You have witnessed the fulfillment of these things. 49 So I am sending My Father’s promise to you. Stay in the city until you receive it—until power from heaven comes upon you.
50 Then He leads them out to Bethany. He lifts up His hands and blesses them, 51 and at that moment, with His hands raised in blessing, He leaves them and is carried up into heaven. 52 They worship Him, then they return to Jerusalem, filled with intense joy, 53 and they return again and again to the temple to celebrate God.
Luke 24
Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus Is Risen!
24 (A)Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of (B)the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened that while they were perplexed about this, behold, (C)two men suddenly (D)stood near them in dazzling clothing, 5 and when the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 He is not here, but He (E)has [a]risen. Remember how He spoke to you (F)while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that (G)the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” 8 And (H)they remembered His words, 9 and when they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now (I)Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the rest of the women with them were there; they were telling these things to (J)the apostles. 11 But these words appeared [b]to them as nonsense, and they (K)were not believing them. 12 But Peter stood up and (L)ran to the tomb; and stooping to look in, he *saw the linen wrappings [c]only. And he went away (M)by himself, marveling at what had happened.
The Road to Emmaus
13 And behold, (N)two of them were going that same day to a village named Emmaus, which was [d]sixty stadia from Jerusalem. 14 And they were conversing with each other about all these things which had happened. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus Himself approached and was going with them. 16 But (O)their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are discussing with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 And one of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You [e]the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about (P)Jesus the Nazarene, who was a mighty (Q)prophet in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our (R)rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to (S)redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 But also some women among us astounded us. (T)When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and not finding His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also said, but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that (U)the prophets have spoken! 26 (V)Was it not necessary for the [f]Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning [g]with (W)Moses and [h]with all the (X)prophets, He interpreted to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and (Y)He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening, and the day [i]is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that when He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and (Z)blessed it, and after breaking it, He was giving it to them. 31 Then their (AA)eyes were opened and they recognized Him. And He vanished from [j]their sight. 32 And they said to one another, “[k]Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He (AB)was opening the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they stood up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and (AC)found gathered together the eleven and (AD)those with them, 34 who were saying, “(AE)The Lord has really risen and (AF)has appeared to Simon.” 35 And they were relating [l]their experiences on the road and how (AG)He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
36 Now while they were telling these things, (AH)He Himself stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But being startled and frightened, they were thinking that they were seeing (AI)a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your [m]hearts? 39 (AJ)See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; (AK)touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 And while they still (AL)were not believing because of their joy and were still marveling, He said to them, “(AM)Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, 43 and He took it and (AN)ate it before them.
44 Now He said to them, “(AO)These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the (AP)Law of Moses and the Prophets and (AQ)the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He (AR)opened their [n]minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “(AS)Thus it is written, that the [o]Christ would suffer and (AT)rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that (AU)repentance [p]for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed [q]in His name to (AV)all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are (AW)witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, (AX)I am sending the promise of My Father upon you, but (AY)you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension
50 And He led them out as far as (AZ)Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. 51 And it happened that while He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Footnotes
- Luke 24:6 Or been raised
- Luke 24:11 Lit in their sight
- Luke 24:12 Or by themselves
- Luke 24:13 Approx. 7 mi. or 11 km, a stadion was approx. 607 ft. or 185 m
- Luke 24:18 Or visiting Jerusalem alone
- Luke 24:26 Messiah
- Luke 24:27 Lit from
- Luke 24:27 Lit from
- Luke 24:29 Lit has now declined
- Luke 24:31 Lit them
- Luke 24:32 Lit Was not our heart
- Luke 24:35 Lit the things
- Luke 24:38 Lit heart
- Luke 24:45 Lit mind
- Luke 24:46 Messiah
- Luke 24:47 Later mss and forgiveness
- Luke 24:47 Or on the basis of
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.